The Parish Church of St John-at-Hampstead

Church chat

Unveiling of The Cenotaph – a family connection

10/11/2020

The Cenotaph was unveiled on Armistice day 1920, a century ago this year. I have always understood that my Perrin grandfather, William Perrin, the first Bishop of Willesden (which then including also the area which is now Edmonton) was among the clergy present at that ceremony but I have no certain record or photo of that day.

However, this photo is of an Armistice ceremony soon thereafter in which my grandfather can be made out as the robed (and bald!) Bishop. Queen Mary can also clearly be seen on a balcony behind, and my grandmother and aunt were included in that party (probably not my father as he might not have been in London then). I do not know the year: but my guess is 1926 as in my grandfather’s obituary Winnington-Ingram, Bishop of London, wrote “When I went round the world from July,1926, to May,1927, I handed the whole diocese over to his care”.